Growth Spurts in Plants | Plant Care Tips | The Sill (2024)

Fertilization

Fertilization is the catalyst for growth, and light is the energy driver of growth. Both are needed for effective plant growth. If plants get leggy and pale, they may need more light. Plants that are not growing may need a combination of more fertilizer and light. It is recommended that you fertilize only during the growing season, although rare exceptions can be made for winter fertilization.

Seasonality

From spring to fall is the growing season. The most vigorous growth of plants will be in the summer when the sun is up and out the longest. During winter, the sun is neither as high in the sky, nor in the sky for as long as it is in the summer. For your plants, that means less light. For some plants, this may trigger dormancy. This is not to be confused with deciduousness though. Dormancy simply means a stunt in growth. Deciduous plants lose their leaves in preparation for winter. Most houseplants are non-deciduous, however, due to the lack of light, your plants may drop a few leaves. This results from lack of light rather than deciduousness. If your plant drops a few leaves in winter it is just adjusting to the fluctuating light levels.

Fast Growers

Type: Any plant that you can plant from a seed and flowers to make seeds in a few months is a fast grower. Herbs, veggies, outdoor plants, garden flowering plants, begonias, oxalis, geraniums, pileas are all fast growers. Usually, these plants are from temperate environments where the race to reproduce is on. Temperate plants must go from seed to seed in a few months time, and if they don’t, winter frost will end their chances.

Growth Rate: You will notice a difference in plant size week after week.

Fertilization: Once every 2 weeks.

Medium Growers

Type: Most houseplants are medium growers. Pothos, Calatheas and many succulents (but not cacti), monsteras, most aroids, peperomias, and some orchids. Given more light, they will grow faster. Most of these will do optimally with a few hours of sun, and bright, indirect light the rest of the time.

Growth Rate: You will see growth differences from month to month.

Fertilization: Once a month.

Slow Growers

Type: Any plant in low light. Cacti, some succulents, ponytail palms, dracaenas, some orchids, bird of paradise plants, marimos. Irrespective of light, cacti tend to grow slowly because they are built to.

Growth Rate: Any plant in low light will not have energy to grow at all, and may either go into dormancy, or try to grow spindly or pale in an effort to find light.

Fertilization: Once every 3 months.

Growth Spurts in Plants | Plant Care Tips | The Sill (2024)

FAQs

What causes growth spurts in plants? ›

Fertilization is the catalyst for growth, and light is the energy driver of growth. Both are needed for effective plant growth. If plants get leggy and pale, they may need more light.

What is the best way to speed up plant growth? ›

Take care of the basics: watering, light, humidity and fertiliser. If you have these details under control, you are a good part of the way to ensuring that your little plant stretches its roots and branches until it reaches for the sky.

What fertilizer makes plants grow faster? ›

High-nitrogen blends (such as 29-3-4), for instance, help keep lawns green and growing quickly. Higher-phosphorus mixes (6-10-4, for example) are intended to promote flowering and fruiting. Other packaged fertilizers are formulated for particular types of plants.

What is the best free app for plant care? ›

Free Plant Care Apps: 1.

Planta, one of the most prominent plant care apps, is a must-have for both Android and iOS users. With its sleek and intuitive interface, it offers a seamless experience like no other.

What causes a growth spurt? ›

What causes growth spurts? Growth spurts are a natural part of your child's development because their bones and muscles are forming, and the nutrients they eat create fat in their body. Your child's genetic composition, or the genes that they inherit from their parents, causes growth spurts.

How to fix stunted growth in plants? ›

The roots then struggle to obtain oxygen and nutrients, thereby stunting growth. Solution: Treat your plants to a nutrient-rich, well-draining soil mix, and ensure your planters are equipped with drainage holes. Regularly check soil moisture levels and tweak your watering schedule accordingly.

What liquids help plants grow the fastest? ›

After weeks of giving each plant different liquids(water, carbonated water, mango juice and pineapple soda), the conclusion is carbonated water grows plants the fastest and the healthiest.

Is Epsom salt good for plants? ›

Epsom salt can improve the blooms of flowering and green shrubs, especially evergreens, azaleas and rhododendrons. Work in one tablespoon of Ultra Epsom Salt per nine square feet of bush into the soil, over the root zone, which allows the shrubs to absorb the nutritional benefits.

Is baking soda good for plants? ›

When applied to plant leaves and stems, baking soda does slow or stop the growth of fungi. However, the benefits are fleeting at best. Studies have shown that while baking soda impacts the growth of fungal spores, the spores and actively growing fungi are not killed.

What is the best all around plant fertilizer? ›

Our top choice for plants, Miracle-Gro All Purpose Plant Food, is a synthetic formula that delivers incredibly fast results.

Can I mix baking soda and Epsom salt for plants? ›

Mix 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon clear ammonia and 1 teaspoon Epsom salt in a gallon of water. Mix well and give each plant about a quart of the solution. This solution will work as a fertilizer, the plants that are looking dull, and growing slowly will perk up, rejuvenate their growth and become lush green.

Do plant care apps really work? ›

“PictureThis is a great app for plant identification and detection of plant issues. Even though it's not 100% correct, Nussman-Berry has found it to be the most accurate. “Even when it is not right, it can help the user narrow down other possibilities,” she adds. To use PictureThis, snap a picture of your plant.

What is the free app that tells you what's wrong with your plant? ›

Agrio is an Android and iOS application developed to do just that. It helps growers manage plant protection more sustainably, as disease identification is crucial in the plant protection routine. The plant care app holds immense value for a broad and varied range of users.

How do you tell what your plant needs? ›

For most plants, the golden rule is to see if the first inch or so of soil is dry. If dry, this is an indication that the plant needs water. If there are leaves that have shriveled or are dry/discolored, the plant might need a little extra water than a regular routine.

What promotes growth spurts? ›

However, environmental factors, such as nutrition and exercise, can affect growth during development. As children get older, they need good nutrition and plenty of exercise to help their bodies make the hormones they need to grow. Teenagers will experience a growth spurt during puberty.

What stimulates growth in plants? ›

Plant growth hormones such as auxins, cytokinin, gibberellins, and others encourage plant growth. Auxin promotes the development and formation of the roots of the plant. Cytokinin brings about cell division in the root and shoot system of the plants.

Why is my plant growing so fast? ›

A plant in bright light will grow quicker than one in lower light. If you want to slow down the rate of growth, you could move a plant slightly further from a window. However, you should only move it a very small amount. A plant with less than perfect light conditions will still grow, but more slowly.

How to activate growth spurts? ›

Following a balanced diet, staying active, and getting plenty of sleep are all factors that can support growth, along with overall health.

References

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